Jewels in the crown: The new restaurant, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;1530â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and the Taittinger Champagne and Cocktail Bar (below)

10

Vanilla October/November 2013

news

Vanilla pReview

Seckford Hall

E

veryone is talking about the
new look Seckford Hall and
with the first phase of the
multi-million pound refurbishment
just completed, we have taken a
look around this beautiful Tudor
hotel just outside Woodbridge.
Seckford Hall has always been
such a striking hotel; when you
approach the driveway there is an
air of special anticipation. However,
things have just got better for this
grand Tudor hotel.
The East Wing, which was once
a private residence is now home to
the Mulberry Suite a new function
area ideal for an intimate wedding,
a special party or celebration.
There is also a new executive
boardroom ideal for business or
pleasure, maybe a private dinner?
And new lounge areas overlooking
the once private gardens.
The Jewels in the crown
however, have to be the new
restaurant, 1530 and the Taittinger
Champagne and Cocktail Bar.
1530 has to be one of Suffolk’s

October/November 2013 Vanilla

newest and finest dining
destinations. Ideal for both
business and pleasure their
talented team of chefs turn local
produce into mouth-watering
dishes, with menus changing
seasonally to reflect this. The
restaurant is relaxed, stylish and
comfortable, full of character but
unpretentious. The new design
is one that is classical in nature
with a warm interior. Stunning
statement lighting and an eclectic
mix of colours, mirroring the Tudor
charm of the hotel.
The Taittinger Champagne and
Cocktail Bar is truly stunning.
With an array of cocktails and of
course champagne to chose from,
it makes a great night out! Little
touches like an olive menu adds to
the ambience and experience of
the new Seckford.
Do go and see what everyone is
talking about, enjoy a meal in the
beautiful new restaurant or just go
for cocktails. We can't wait to see
what happens in phase two! n

‘Stunning lighting and an eclectic
mix of colours’ (above and top left)
Lee Lawes, the new Champagne and
Cocktail Bar manager (top right)

11

A new evening of work
by the internationally
acclaimed choreographer

FRI 25 & SAT 26 OCT

''Dancing bodies rarely look
more beautiful than in the
work of Russell Maliphant''
The Guardian

work
& Life
over the phone, email, Skype or
good old fashioned face-to-face.
And though we met in person, in
between sessions we knew we
could contact Maria if we ever
needed.
“Coaching is about getting
away from running your business
and moving towards growing your
business,” comments Maria.
“Women in particular often find it
difficult to progress their business
– a coach is the support to do just
that. Women aren’t weak,” she
asserts. “Every woman is different
but the fundamental issue in my
female clients is a lack of self
confidence and/or self belief. My
work is all about raising their self

and asking the right questions so
the client has a clear vision of
what’s next.”

C

oaching is a long-term
investment in your career
– it can take up to three
months to begin to see results but it’s one that Maria’s clients say
has paid off. Karen Mast sought
Maria’s help after spending 25
years as a stay-at-home mum. “As
the girls got older I began to have
a serious case of what I call the
‘now what?’s,” she says. “I
decided to go back to school and
become either a stylist, a makeup
artist or an esthetician but I was
indecisive and hesitant. I just

“Coaching is about getting away from
running your business and moving
towards growing your business,”
esteem to firstly value themselves
and what they bring to an
organisation, to their business and
to their family and friends.”

T

he great potential of
coaching grew out of the
sports arena – Olympic
Gold medalist Jessica Ennis was
coached to her success from the
age of 13, and be it the running
track or the boardroom the
principal is the same. “We often
don’t ask ourselves the questions
which need to be asked – we
don’t have the time or ability to
ask the right question,” points out
Maria. “Professional coaches
believe that the answers we seek
lie within us, so we never tell
people what to do, we enable the
client to find the answers for
themselves by actively listening

couldn’t, or wouldn’t, make up my
mind which direction to take. I
also became an expert at finding
excuses why I shouldn’t bother.”
By chance Karen met Maria on
holiday, and seeing the struggle
she was having, Maria offered her
a coaching session on the spot.
“The session wasn’t easy. Maria
has a way of listening and asking
just the right questions that force
you to be extremely honest and
open with yourself. At some points
it felt very raw and painful but in
the end I felt free and confident,”
explains Karen. “During the
session I was able to vocalise my
goals and decide which direction
I wanted to take. My fears didn’t
magically disappear - I was
just able to look at them from a
different angle and realise that
the hurdles weren't as high as I

was making them.” And that one
life-changing coaching session
with Maria was all it took – Karen
first trained as a make-up artist,
graduating top of her class, then
went on to do a stylist course
– and this November she once
again returns to school to train
as an esthetician. “Who says we
can’t have it all,” points out Karen,
“I just needed Maria to point me
in the right direction.”
Helen Jennings has also
benefitted hugely from business
coaching. “I decided to work
with a coach as I’d reached an
impasse in my professional and
personal life and felt overwhelmed
with how to meet the challenges
that faced me. I knew I needed
a trained professional to help me
and was delighted to connect
with Maria at a networking event.”
And Helen is definite when it
comes to what she gained from
her sessions: “I learnt to be
clear and true to myself about
my aims and goals, to take and
enjoy each small step of success
and be proud of the power of
successes which I had previously
overlooked.” n
Want to try a
free coaching
session?
Maria is offering
readers of Vanilla a
free half-hour
coaching session
either face-to-face
or over the phone.
This will give you the chance to
experience coaching for yourself
and just how much you can
benefit from working with a
professional. To take up this offer
please email Maria on maria@
stradainnovation.co.uk

It’s five-star nursery time!
Sproughton’s Oakland Hall Day Nursery has taken childcare
to a whole new level. Vanilla takes a peak...

F

or most working
parents, choosing a nursery
for the first time is a daunting
experience. You want your child to
have the very best start in life but
you’re entrusting somebody else to
make sure it happens. You hope
the place will be exciting, fun and
dynamic coupled with the warmth
of care you would give at home
– maybe even better than home.
And on top of that, you need to be
assured they are being taught all
the skills they will need to prepare
them for the next stage of life.
No pressure then?
With that brief in mind, Oakland
Hall was created – the idyllic day
nursery – providing the highest
level of care and attention for a
child with amazing facilities.
The nursery, which first opened
its doors in May this year, is
situated in a renovated 15th
century Grade II listed building

16

and set amongst two acres of
gardens on the outskirts of
Ipswich. Oakland Hall’s Managing
Director Gillian Dovey says, “We
started from a blank canvas and
had the opportunity to develop
something extraordinary and
unique. We have been
exceptionally fortunate to find a
team of staff determined to follow
this through and consequently able
to offer an unprecedented service.”
“Above all else, we aim to give
our children the best preparation
in life so that when they leave us
they have the confidence to build
on the personal and academic
foundations that we have helped
to establish.”
Children from 3 months to five
years can attend Oakland Hall.
Beautifully designed and
decorated, it exudes a lovely
‘homely’ ambience (which helps
smooth the transition from parent

to carer) as well as an impressive
early years learning environment.
The staff, all well-trained early
years specialists, offer an array of
other services including language,
drama and music tuition, sport
coaching and even baby massage.
A dedicated Special Educational
Needs co-ordinator is on hand to
give support and guidance for
those who need it, as well as staff
fluent in Makaton sign language.
Facilities include a quiet library
zone; a fully supervised sleep
room; separate dining room; a
covered area for all weather play
and a designated ‘messy’ indoor
play zone which gives pupils the
chance to explore their creative
side away from parents’ clean white
walls! Pupils have plenty of
opportunities to try different
activities throughout the day.
At Oakland Hall, there’s a lot of
emphasis on independence and
Vanilla October/November 2013

Carats Jewellers has been designing,
making and selling jewellery since
1985. We produce and sell beautiful,
unusual and wearable modern
jewellery to suit everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tastes.

design
Not only do we handmake wedding
bands to fit around unusual
engagement rings but we also
design and make jewellery,
undertake all repairs, source and
replace stones and restring pearls all
in our on-site workshop.

finish...

01473 255488

11 But terMarke t IpswIch
35 eld l ane colchester

www.caratsjewellers.co.uk

Phoebe & Flo

arats Oct-Nov13 v2.indd 1

GIFTS

10/09/2013 12:34

INTERIORS

HOMEWARES

We specialise in local crafts,
artisans and fair trade...
ethically sourced products
from around the globe
ORFORD STREET, IPSWICH, IP1 3NU

01473 213370

(Off Norwich Road, adjacent to car park, near Coes)

real
lives

Feeling very upset, confused
and worried, I thought it best
to seek professional advice.
My neighbour recommended
Barker Gotelee Solicitors, having
used them for conveyancing.
Nervously, I phoned, and was
pleasantly surprised by the warm
reception I received from Trust
and Estate Practitioner, Suzanne
Whyman. She was extremely
understanding and kind and
assured me that she would do
all she could to ensure that I was
adequately provided for.

S

uzanne and I
subsequently met and
discussed the whole
situation in depth. She ran checks
to be absolutely certain that
there wasn’t a will in existence
anywhere and also reviewed the
property title deeds of our house
to see whether it was owned
as ‘joint tenants’ or ‘tenants in
common’. Concluding that there
was no will, Suzanne explained
that, technically, this meant I
wasn’t entitled to anything other
than my share of our residential
home as we had purchased it
as ‘tenants in common’. Under
intestacy rules everything
would pass to Catherine’s
daughter – half of our home and
the rental property. She also
explained, however, that there
were legal steps which could
be taken in order to lay claim to
some of Catherine’s estate for
maintenance purposes (under the
Inheritance (Provision for Family
and Dependants) Act 1975),
should it come to that.
Thankfully, I get along
extremely well with Catherine’s
October/November 2013 Vanilla

daughter and she was
sympathetic of my situation.
The last thing she wanted to
see was me kicked out on the
street. Suzanne spent time going
through the various options with
myself and Catherine’s daughter
and her solicitor. Following
Suzanne’s advice and thanks to
her negotiation, we reached the
agreement that Catherine’s half
share of our home would be put
into a trust, which would allow
me to remain living there, then,
following my death, Catherine’s
share would pass to her daughter.
Being in a comfortable position
herself, Catherine’s daughter
also kindly agreed to the rental
property being put into trust too,
so that I might benefit from the
rental income for the remainder

of my life.
I was immensely relieved that
the matter didn’t have to go to
court and as happy as I possibly
could be with the outcome,
given the circumstances. After
what’s been a hugely stressful
and emotional few months, I
am so grateful to now be safe in
the knowledge that my home is
protected and that I can continue
to have a comfortable lifestyle
– albeit, sadly, alone – thanks
to the advice and diligence of
Suzanne and the Private Client
Team at Barker Gotelee. I remain
ever thankful to Suzanne for all
her help. It’s made me realise
just how important it is to leave
a will and, you’ll be pleased to
know, I am now in the process of
having one written for myself n

We are here to help
We all need legal services from time to time.
Suzanne Whyman and Nick Palmer in our
Private Client Team, are on hand to help.

Christmas
comedy
nights
A unique evening of laughter & delicious food with a one off selection
of Comedy nights – the new alternative to the office Christmas party
or a fun night out for all.

Every Thursday & Friday from 5th – 21st December from 7.00pm.
£35 per person including pre-dinner drink, three course dinner from our
festive dining menu, coffee & mince pies, a festive table and as much
laughter as you can handle.

PrivateChristmas party
Book our intimate private dining room for your office Christmas party or family
celebration, whatever the occasion we have all the right ingredients for a great night.
£25 per person including 3-course festive menu, coffee and mince pies.
Why not enjoy all of the above & stay the night in one of our stunning rooms including
breakfast for only £75 per person.
Available daily from 12.00pm – 3.00pm and 6.00pm – 9.00pm
from 3rd – 23rd December 2013.

Put a Pro in your kitchen
Suffolk-based Celebrity Chef, Paul Foster is supporting
our experts on a range of kitchen designs as well as
hosting cooking demos at our showroom to inspire
our customers to cook up a storm at home.

Relax & Enjoy
Book a Fire and Ice Experience
and get 20% off treatments.
Must be pre-booked

Half Day £39
Full Day £59

Beauty

your
beauty
questions
solved
...by Sue Carter
at Image Salon

Q: my under eye
concealer seems to sit
in my fine lines. how
can I prevent this?
To prevent your concealer creasing
or settling into fine lines around the
eyes, try setting it with a
translucent powder after
application â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this should also help
your concealer last longer. It is best
to use a translucent powder as it is
colourless and a coloured powder
may make your under eye area
appear darker. It could also be that
your current concealer is too
heavy. Avoid creamy concealers as
they often contain a high level of
oil. Instead opt for a light weight
one that has light reflecting
properties, providing you with
sufficient coverage and minimising
dark circles.
Q: Do products have an
expiry date or shelf life?
All products will have either a
expiry date or shelf life, which
varies from product to product
depending on the ingredients.
Products containing an SPF
will have an expiry date and
should not be used once this
date has been passed even
if the product is still sealed
and has not been used. This is
because of the chemical reaction
the SPF has with other ingredients.
Products which do not contain

66

SPF have a shelf life from the date
they are opened, detailed in the small
print on the label. You should look for
a jar symbol with a number in it, this
indicates the shelf life of this product
once opened, most commonly six or
12 months. There are also other signs
to look out for to see if a product has
exceeded its shelf life: it smells odd,
the texture has changed, the colour of
product has changed or the product
has separated. Ensure that products
are kept in a cool, dry place away
from direct sunlight. Once a product
has exceeded its shelf life it should no
longer be used as bacteria may have
bred, the effectiveness of the product
is no longer present and continued
use may also lead to skin irritation.

Q: What is a Dermaroller
treatment?
Dermaroller is a non-surgical
skin regeneration procedure
that significantly improves the
appearance of fine lines, wrinkles,
uneven skin tone and acne scarring.
The Dermaroller hand-piece
(covered in 192 micro needles)
is rolled over the skin and causes
micro-trauma. The body responds by
sending blood to the area for healing
and as your skin repairs itself, new
collagen builds up just below the
surface. The needling also enables
the active ingredients in serums to be
fully absorbed into the skin instead of
sitting on the surface.
The result is that scarring, wrinkles
and fine lines are plumped up
leaving the skin feeling smoother,
brighter and healthier looking.
Dermaroller can be used on all
skin types and even on sensitive
areas such as the neck, dĂŠcolletage
and hands n

Vanilla October/November 2013

food

FoodStuff

Suffolk Young Cook’s Competition

cocktail
hour

Winter Kiss

2oz/50ml Baileys
1oz/25ml Martell Brandy
1oz/25ml Disaranno
Amaretto
Crushed Ice
You will need: A Martini
glass chilled (you can
chill the glass by putting
in fridge 30 minutes
before making the
drinks or adding ice with
a little water to the glass
as you mix cocktail and
empty out before you
pour).
To a cocktail shaker add
a hand full of crushed
ice, then the Baileys,
Martell Brandy and
Disaronno Amaretto.
Shake together for 30
seconds.
Strain into the chilled
Martini glass leaving ice
behind in the shaker.
Garnish with a twisted
orange peel.

A competition has
just launched to find
Suffolk’s best young
amateur cook and
will be open to all
Suffolk school children
aged 14 to 17. The
competition is being
run in collaboration with
Suffolk schools.
Each food teacher will
pick their top candidates
to go forward to the first
heat of the competition.
Students will be given
a list of ingredients and
a recipe list to inspire
them and to help them
plan their entry. They
will be required to
cook a main course
and dessert, with 30
minutes set up time and

90 minutes to cook and
present their food. Food
will be locally sourced,
nutritionally balanced,
well presented and
cooked from scratch!
The judging panel will
choose the best entries
and the finalists will be
invited to compete in
a cook off at Suffolk
College to find the
winner. So all you
budding chefs out there
– start prepping now!
Prizes include:
A set of monogrammed
chefs whites, dinner for
2 at the White Lion Hotel
in Aldeburgh, a cookery
day and a farm tour with
Mark at Dingley Dell
Pork.

Follow Suffolk Young
Cooks on Twitter‫@‏‬
SufYoungCooks

new range of
infused oils
Dazed & Infused is
a brand new range
of infused rapeseed
oils available from
1st August 2013.
Produced by Scarlett &
Mustard, Suffolk-based
producers of dressings
and marinades, these
deliciously flavoured
oils are an easy way to
add a touch of luxury
to any dish. The oils are
available in 100ml and
250ml bottles and a
three bottle gift box.
The Dill and Basil Oil have
a rrp of £3.95-£4.95
Truffle Oil £6.95-£7.95
for 100ml a bottle.
Gift Packs 3 oils 100ml
£15/ 250ml £27.50

Available from various
farm shops and delis.

Thanks to quayside,
regatta quay, ipswich

October/November 2013 Vanilla

71

offers

Quayside
exclusive offer for vanilla readers

20%off

À la carte menu – lunch or dinner

Come and have some
half term and Autumn
fun at Pennikkity Pots!
They’re offering £2 off
ceramic painting at
Pennikkity Pots Ceramics
Café. The café is a great
place for all age groups
to relax and enjoy! Simply

cut out this coupon
and take along to your
session to get your
discount – no need to
book – and get painting!
Voucher valid until
31.12.13. Not to be used
with any other offer or for
evening bookings.

Terms & Conditions:

Please present this page at
point of purchase. Only for
restaurant bookings Sunday
to Thursday, excludes Fridays
and Saturdays. One voucher
per table/booking. Offer valid
until 21st November 2013.

Here’s another great offer
for Vanilla readers from
Quayside, on the Ipswich
Waterfront. Quayside are
offering a 20% discount
on their à la carte
menu – lunchtimes or
evenings, from Sunday
to Thursday! All you
need to do is show them

www.quayside-ipswich.co.uk
email: info@quayside-ipswich.co.uk

✂

Lunch 12.30-2.30pm Dinner 6.30-9.30pm

✂

Vanilla October/November 2013

Now booking for christmas 2013
Christmas Party Menu
Available 28 November – 24 December